1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the post-surgical treatment of closed wounds and specifically to methods and systems for infusion of a wound site to manage pain, swelling, bleeding and infection.
2. The Relevant Technology
One of the most difficult aspects of enduring a major surgical procedure is coping with the post-operative pain and swelling. Commonly, opioid analgesics, sometimes referred to as narcotics, are administered post-operatively to counter the pain associated with wound healing and recovery. However, the use of systemic opioid analgesics, whether administered by oral, intramuscular, or intravenous methods, includes a host of possible undesirable side effects, including: respiratory depression, renal function depression, nausea, constipation, ataxia, confusion, sweating, and itching. The length of hospital stay for patients undergoing a major surgical procedure is, in part, determined by the need to monitor and control the side effects of systemically administered opioid analgesics.
More recently, infusion pumps have been used to percutaneously deliver local anesthetics directly to the surgical wound. Thus, many of the undesirable side effects of systemic opioid analgesics are avoided. Furthermore, medication dosage is considerably less than systemic delivery since the medication is delivered directly to the affected site. However, contemporary percutaneous pain medication infusion pumps do not provide consistent relief of pain. Furthermore, many currently available medication infusion pumping arrangements are unable to adequately aspirate the affected site to reduce fluid build-up and swelling.
Yet further, many medication infusion pumps lack adequate safety measures to ensure that the proper dosage of medication is delivered. Some medication infusion pumps have safety measures that are too complex, and therefore cannot be reliably implemented, or that add unduly to the cost of the medication pump. Accordingly, existing medication infusion pumps may not be as cost-effective, failsafe, or easy to use as may be desirable.